Gate-latch.



entran erstens ier-ernster onirica.

HENRY it nlinrs'r, on META, MISSOURI.

GATE-LATCH.

No. sesgess.

Tovall. 'whom it may concern: A,

Be it known that I, HENRY F. HARrsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meta7 in the county of Osage and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful GateLatch, of which the following is a specilication.

also designed for use wherever' a latch is desired.

The latch is oi that type in which a looseA ring is einployed as a keeper for holding against movement a tongue or plate extending from the gate or other element to be fastened.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a latch of this character with means whereby the ring canine securely locked in the path ol the tongue so as to prevent the gate from yloeing opened.

Another object is to provide a latch of simple, com pact and durable construction, which is attractive in appearance and which can be readily fastened inposition.

-With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will loe hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

form ofthe invention.

ln said drawings: Figure l is a perspective view showing the latch in position to hold a ,gato closed; Fig. 2 is aside elevation ol' the latch, the tongue ol they gate lieing shown in section and engaged thereby: Fig. fl'is a plan '\'ii-\\ ol ilu` latch and a portion of a gate; and liig, Il is a Iseetion on line what', Fig. 2 and showing a loeking device within the latch.

Referring to the ligures hy characters of reference, l is an' elongated lneial strap secured in any pre erred manner to a post 2 or other supporting structure. The strap extends beyond the post 2 and is folded iupon itself to form a guide loop 3. lhe upper Yedges -of this loop have notches i therein to receive the down-v wardly bent looped end 5 A0i a lifting lever 6. This lever is preferably formed with stiff wire bent at an intermediate point to form a depending arm '7 which projects into the loop at one end thereof and is mounted to rock on a pin 8 which serves to hold opposite portions of the loop together. A holding pin 9 extends transversely of the projecting portion of loop 3 and is de signed to prevent displacement oi a ring l0 constituting the keeper oi the latch. This keeper is supported by This invention relates to gate latches although it isV Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

the looped end 5 of the lever 6 and the pin 9 serves toH limit the upward movement 0i the ring. Formed 5t) within -the walls of the loop '3 are alining openings ll, andthe distance from these openings to the outer end of the loop is less than the diameter oi the ring l0. rlhese openings are designed to receive a locking pin l2 or if preferred a padlock or any other suitable hold- .55

' ing device inay be secured within the openings.

In the drawings th'elatch has been shown in conneet-ion with a gate 13 from which extends a tongue 14 in the form of a metal plate. ,4 When the gate-is closed this tongue will strike the lower portion of the ring and force it upward into'the loop 3 and afterA the tongue passes under the ring the same will drop by gravity into the path of the tonguevand hold-it against move- 4 ment. When the ring is in tliisvposition its periphery sorting a pin l2'through the openings it will he impossible to liit the ring and release the tongue. When, how ever, a pin or other locking means is not positioned within the openings l1 the ring can'be easily raised by pushing downward onthe. opposite end of lever (i sol 7.0 that the loopedl end 5 of the lever will pull upward on the ring. In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred 'Importance is attached to the provision oi the openings l1 for the reception of securing means inasmuch as the latch can therefore be used to securely lock a gate or other` strueture. in closed position.

Whotis cl-.iimed is:

A latch comprising' n ini-inl strip looped or folded lo'. forni n guide.. said loop having reduced openings in the pin dispo ,d iiunsversnly within the loop, n, ring loosely mounted within tliclloop and surroundliic, the pin. the Adiameter of. the ring `heine', greater than the distance from the openings 1o ille end oi the loup, a pivot', pin within and connecting ilu; sides ol. the loop, a lever formed of n siugle 8.5 length of wire lient at un intermediate point to' foi-1n :in eye mounted yupon v the last mentioned pin, said lever ter minatim; at one-en d in a depending loop und detaeliahly engaging ythe ring, there being a laterally extending loop at the other end of the lever anclconstitntini: a finger picco, the walls of the guide' loop being notched to receive the depending portion of the lever when innormal position.

In testimony thatl claim the. foregoing as my own, 1 have hereto ailixed my signature inA vthe presence of two witnesses. I l

'HENRY iv. nniuis'r.

W. l). B nun.

rests immediately beneath the openings ll andhy in- 6 5 sidi-s ther-ooi' for the reception of locking means, it holding 8()y 

